Cholinergic Interneurons

Figure 1. The image on the left shows all neurons (the black dots) in the rat striatum, a part of the brain that is involved in higher-level decision-making. The image on the right shows just the cholinergic interneurons. There are far fewer black dots because cholinergic interneurons make up only 1 to 2 percent of the neurons in the striatum. It is these neurons that influence mental flexibility. (The large white spots are bundles of nerves.)